Crate assembly clip



Dec# 9, 1958 G. EfwQBENsoN v 2,853,194

CRATE ASSEMBLY CLIP Filed June 30. 1954 hired States iiatent @ffice 2mm jatented Dec. 9, 195

CRATE ASSEMBLY CLIP George E. W. Benson, Chicago, Eli. Application .lune 30, 1954, Serial No. 440,429

8 Claims. (Cl. Ztl- 73) This invention relates to a clip developed for use in assembling storage crates.

Crates commonly used by merchandise storage concerns are purchased in knocke`d-down form and consist of two crate ends and two crate sides. Such crates are stored in knocked-down form until needed for use. At that time the two ends and two sides are placed in a crate-forming jig.

The ends and sides -are secured to eacli other by more or less temporary means which impart a` certain amount of rigidity to the thusly assembled walls of the crate. More or less temporary means are used to join the ends to the sides for the reason that following use of the crate it is often desirable to disassemble the crate for subsequent storing in knocked-down form.

The bottom o-f a crate of this character usually is a pallet which is designed so as to be handled efficiently by suitable hoisting machines; ln addition, the pallet often is designed so that the bottom of one crate will nest on the top of the next lower crate.

At the present time the sides of crates of this type are secured to the crate ends by means of a plurality of lengths of wire. Each of these wires is cut to length and provided with a loop at each end. A wire is passed around the adjacent corner posts of a partially assembled crate end and crate side and a tool, which engages the wire loops, is used to twist the wire and tighten it about the corner posts. It is usual practice to use about eight separate lengths of wire at each pair of corner posts. inasmuch as there are four pairs of corner posts in a crate, it will be seen that some 32 lengths of wire are used and some 32 tool operations are required for assembling the crate.

Even moderate handling of a crate assembled in this fashion causes a certain amount of slackening in the wires. A greater amount of handling produces greater slackening. In either case the wires loosen somewhat and the entire crate thus becomes undesirably shaky and non-rigid.

Another and more serious shortcoming in the present practice is that a substantial amount of space within the crate is prevented from functioning as storage space. The wires at each corner extend on a diagonal between the spaced edges of the corner posts and thus preclude the use of the space between the wires and the corner posts for storage purposes. In the case of merchandise packaged in more or less rigid containers, the amount of storage space lost considerably exceeds the space between the wire and the corner posts, as will be understood.

One object of the invention is to provide a clip designed for use in assembling storage crates of the aforesaid character and which eliminates the large plurality of wires and separate tool operations heretofore used.

Another object is to provide a clip capable of imparting extreme rigidity to a crate.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a crate assembly clip which when applied in the proper manner eliminates the loss of usable space heretofore experienced with conventionally assembled crates of this kind.

Still another object is to provide a clip which can be manufactured at extremely low cost and which will have CII a long, useful life.

Other objects, advantages and details of the invention will be apparent as the description proceeds, reference being had to the accompanying drawing wherein one ernbodirnent of the invention is shown. It will be understood that the description and drawing are illustrative only and that the scope of the invention is to be measured by the appended claims.

In the drawing:

Fig. l is a fragmentary perspective view of a knockdown type of crate illustrating application of the invention thereto;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view on line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig.' 3 is a side elevational view of aclip embodying the invention;

Fig. 4 is a top plan view of a clip, and

Fig. 5 is an end View of a clip.

Referring now tothe drawing, a knock-down type crate comprises a pair of opposing sides 8 and a pair of 0pposing ends lil. The sides 8 and ends 10 are framework members as illustrated in Fig. l.

A side S comprises a vertical corner post 11 at each end, a plurality of longitudinal members 12 and one or more vertical members 13 spaced between corner posts 11.

An end 10 comprises spaced corner posts 15, longitudinal members 16 and a diagonal brace member 17.

When a crate of this character is to be assembled fo-r use, a pair of sides d and a pair of ends liti are placed in a suitable jig (not shown) which properly positions the respective components. As mentioned above, the now conventional way for assembling the components is to utilize a plurality of lengths of wire at each corner. Each wire is passed around adjacent corner posts 11 and 15 and a tool is used to twist the wire ends together and thus tighten the wire. The diagonally extended dotted line 2li in Fig. 2 illustrates the position of a portion of each wire with respect to the two corner posts. Since about eight wires are used at each corner, the space 21 between the wires and the corner posts is rendered non-usable as storage space within the crate, particularly if the merchandise stored in the crate is packaged in more or less rigid containers.

Still referring to Fig. 2, the invention comprises a `clip 25 which is secured to an edge of a corner post. A similar clip 25 is secured to the corresponding edge of the adjacent corner post at the same vertical crate level. A length of steel strapping 26 or other suitable material is passed through apertures in the respective clips, tightened by means of a conventional tool and provided with a fas-- tener 27 which secures the ends of the strap together under suitable tension. As shown in Figs. l and 2, the strapping 2,6 extends exteriorly of the crate and thus does not interfere with the usable storage space within the crate.

As shown in Fig. l, two pairs of clips 25 and associated strapping 26 normally are used at each crate corner. This may be compared with the eight lengths of wire commonly used at each crate corner.

Storage concerns normally use steel strapping for various purposes, and thus they are equipped with the strapping and tools for applying same. Consequently, use of the clips of the invention normally does not require the procurement of these items.

Referring to Figs. 3, 4 and 5, a `clip 25 is a U-shaped member of rigid stock having a web 30 and legs 31 and 32. Preferably one of the legs, leg .31 in the example shown, is substantially longer than the other leg, namely leg 32..

One of the legs, leg 31 in the example, has a central aperture 35 which is spaced inwardly from the free end of the leg. The leg portion 36 between the aperture 35 and the free end of the leg is recessed on the inward face. As here shown, this portion is offset outwardly from the plane ofthe remainder of leg-31.

The stock removed from leg 31 to provide aperture 35 may be bent through 180 degrees so as to be disposed on the outward face of the 'recessed or offset portion 36. This displaced stock is designated by 40 in Figs. 3-5. Use of stock 40 in this manner, while not essential, Vis desirable in order to provide a greater radius for the strapping 26 which passes through aperture 35.

Web 3() of clip 25 has anv aperture 41 to receive a suitable clip securing means such as a nail 42 (Fig. 2).

From the above description it is thought that the construction and advantages of my invention will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art. Various changes in detail may be made without departing from the spirit or losing the advantages of the invention.

Having thus described my invention, what l claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A crate assembly clip comprising a generally U- shaped member of rigid stock, one leg of said member being substantially longer than the other leg, said one leg having a central aperture spaced inwardly from the free end, the portion of said one leg between the aperture and the free end of the leg being outwardly offset, the stock displaced to form said aperture being disposed on the outward face of said offset portion'.

2. A crate assembly clip comprising a generally U- shaped member of rigid stock, one leg of said member being substantially longer than the other leg, said one leg having a central aperture spaced inwardly from the free end, the portion of said one leg between the aperture and the free cnd of the leg being outwardly offset.

3. A crate assembly clip comprising a generally U- shaped member of rigid stock, one leg of said member having a central aperture spaced inwardly from the free end, the portion of said one leg between the aperture and the free end of the leg being outwardly offset, the stock displaced to form said aperture being disposed on the outward face of said offset portion.

4. A crate assembly clip comprising a generally U- 4 shaped member of rigid stock, one leg of said member having a central aperture spaced inwardly from the free end, the portion of said one leg between the aperture and the free end of the leg being outwardly oiset.

5. A crate assembly clip comprising a generally U- shaped member of rigid stock, one leg of said member having a central aperture spaced inwardly from the free end, the portion of said one leg between the aperture and the free end of the leg being outwardly'olset, the

web of said member having an aperture therein to receive a clip securing means.

6. A crate assembly clip comprising a generally U- shaped member of rigid stock, on'e leg of said member having a central aperture spaced inwardly from the free end, the portion of said one leg ybetween the aperture and the free end of the leg being recessed on the inward face thereof.

7. A crate assembly including a pair of crate corner posts in L-shaped abutting relation, one of a pair of clips mounted on the edge of each post remote from those post edges which abut, each clip comprising a generally U- shaped member of rigid stock embracing a post edge, the outsideleg of a mounted clip having an aperture spaced inwardly from the free end thereof, and flexible strapping passing through the apertures of the pair of clips and forming a ten'sioned connection between the clips.

8. A crate assembly including a pair ofcrate corner posts in L-shaped abutting relation, one of a pair of clips mounted on the edge of each post remote from those post edges which abut, each clip comprising a generally U- shaped member of rigid stock embracing a post edge, attaching means adjacent the free end of the outside leg of each mounted clip, and a flexible elongated member secured to the attaching means of the pair `of clips and forming a tensioned connection between the clips.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 216,096 Moore Jun'e 3, 1879 1,237,224 Schultz Aug. 14, 1917 2,451,554 Hedstrom Oct. 19, `1948 

